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Poster reviewing results wins first prize at international wound congress

GREENSBORO, NC (May 30, 2014) — A new clinical study has corroborated earlier in vitro evidence of the healing benefits of ConvaTec’s new AQUACEL™ Ag+ wound dressings. The ground-breaking anti-biofilm dressings were launched in countries in the European Union as well as in Canada, Hong Kong and Malaysia earlier this year.

In the prospective multi-center study, investigators evaluated the use of AQUACEL™ Ag+ dressings on 42 patients with chronic venous leg ulcers for a four-week period, followed by an additional four weeks using a standard AQUACEL™ dressing. At study initiation, all wounds studied exhibited clinical signs of infection; 32 wounds showed three to four signs of infection, and 10 wounds were confirmed to be clinically infected.

For wounds with three to four signs of infection, the results after eight weeks showed an average

54 percent reduction in size. For the subset of clinically infected wounds, the reduction in size was greater – averaging 70 percent.

The study results were presented by Dr. Maciej Sopata, a surgeon and President of the Polish Wound Management Association, in a poster titled The Clinical Evidence for a Next Generation Antimicrobial Dressing at the Middle East Wounds and Scar Congress, held in Dubai.

A panel of distinguished scientists and physicians awarded the poster first prize at the Congress.

The poster also included results from product evaluations conducted across Europe and Canada in patients with long-established chronic wounds. Across 217 evaluations, the average wound closure rate was 70 percent (following an average treatment time of 3.7 weeks).

“The clinical study and product evaluations clearly show the effectiveness of AQUACEL™ Ag+ dressings in fighting biofilm, helping to resolve infection and improving healing outcomes,” said Phil Bowler, Vice President, Science & Technology, ConvaTec. “We’re excited about the new evidence and the response from the scientific community. Not only can AQUACEL™ Ag+ dressings speed healing, they can also help hospitals and other payers reduce their total cost of care.”

The new AQUACEL™ Ag+ dressings combine ConvaTec’s proprietary, exudate-absorbing Hydrofiber™ Technology with Ag+ Technology – a unique formulation that destroys wound biofilm and kills infection-causing bacteria in the wound dressing.A Together, the two technologies provide a highly effective weapon against the three key barriers to wound healing: excess exudate, infection and biofilm.

Biofilm is formed when colonies of bacteria secrete a slime layer to protect themselves. It is involved in the majority of similar infections, is difficult to remove, reforms quickly and is a key barrier to wound healing.

“We’ve come a long way in managing excess exudate and infection with our Hydrofiber™ Technology,” said Bowler. “By adding biofilm-fighting technology, AQUACEL™ Ag+ dressings take wound care to a completely new level, as now demonstrated in patient trials.”

The family of AQUACEL™ Ag+ dressings includes AQUACEL™ Ag+ Extra™ dressing and AQUACEL™ Ag+ ribbon dressing for tunneling wounds.

About ConvaTec

ConvaTec is a global medical products and technologies company, with leading market positions in wound therapeutics, ostomy care, continence and critical care, and infusion devices. Our products provide a range of clinical and economic benefits, including infection prevention, protection of at-risk skin, improved patient outcomes and reduced total cost of care. ConvaTec has over 8,000 employees, with 11 manufacturing sites in 8 countries, and we do business in more than 100 countries. We are owned by Nordic Capital and Avista Capital Partners. More information is available at www.convatec.com.